


Otherlord Superverse - Hero Association HQ

by themoderatekay



Series: Otherlord Superverse Worldbuilding [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Not a Story, Superheroes, Supervillains, Worldbuilding, more like a detailed manual for an author that tends to forget her own headcanons, not a story I cannot emphasize this enough, supernatural God figure that is kind of mean, the superheroes here are also kind of mean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:34:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23770108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themoderatekay/pseuds/themoderatekay
Summary: This world has superheroes and supervillains. The superheroes also happen to have formed a (somewhat morally gray) command structure. This is a detailed explanation on both.Not at all a story. More like an instruction manual. Yeah, I know, no one likes reading instruction manuals. Call it an author's self-reference.
Series: Otherlord Superverse Worldbuilding [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712377
Kudos: 1





	Otherlord Superverse - Hero Association HQ

**Author's Note:**

> Again, this is not a story. This is an explanation on the world on my upcoming (I say that while having no idea when it would actually happen) original series would take part in.
> 
> The universe summarized here is named the Otherlord Superverse. It is the name for a world I have built for my OCs and any similarities to any known movies, comics, books, or any other media is unintentional.  
> This entire post can be edited according to my changing headcanons. Whenever I make a change on this post, I will add a note regarding the parts that have been changed.
> 
> Also, for those that for some strange reason have decided to read this text: It would be better NOT to expect the "Heroes" of this world to act as such. Sure, they combat evil and protect civilians. They have however chosen deeply questionable methods to do so, and this summary of their world is meant to make clear just how questionable these methods are. So if you are tempted to say "hey, the superheroes of this world are actually kind of jerks!" then I would be grateful to hear you say so. 
> 
> That is not to say that Hero Association is the devil and should be obliterated immediately, but then was any large-scale organization ever simple?

The Otherlord Superverse is a universe centered on superheroes, and the supervillains whom the heroes must fight. Whenever a character simply says “Hero” or “Villain”, they usually mean a superhero or a supervillain.

(Super)Villains in this world are criminals that cannot be controlled by the standard justice system due to their intelligence or physical strength (or both) that exceeds the normal criminal. There is a myriad of ways that one may acquire such things. They could be a scientist that had grown an insane obsession with their research and ended up modifying their body or mind to superhuman (or according to some, inhuman) degrees – or they could be a test subject that had been sacrificed to such research. It is also not uncommon for an average human couple to bear offspring with superhuman abilities. The Villain in question being an entirely alien being, harming the inhabitants of this world after being transported from a different realm, is also a possibility. They could also have acquired their powers through extraterrestrial contact or through dabbling in magic – in short, anything imaginable as the source of superhuman powers may very well be the origin of a Villain somewhere, sometime.

It is natural that if there are those that commit crimes, there would be ones that would punish them. Those that have acquired powers through a myriad of possible ways just like Villains have, but use these powers to arrest or neutralize Villains, are called (Super)Heroes. Even though they may punish crime, it was obvious that superhuman beings enacting their will without supervision would lead to social outrage. This brought a need for a structure that would prohibit Heroes from abusing their powers, efficiently command the war against Villains, and guide Heroes to a path that would lead to societal acceptance. Through governmental approval, Heroes selected their own commanders and rules. This commanding body is called the Hero Association.

After conducting research on the history of their own powers, the Hero Association discovered the more contemporary year it was, the increase of those powerful enough to be considered a Villain or a Hero grew exponentially. This discovery led to an even more unexpected realization that the acquisition of these powers were not coincidental but intended results of a being with unprecedented powers. Whether they were born with powers, or had associated with extraterrestrials or black magic, or had been from a completely different universe, there was a being that brought about all these events. Superpowered humans and non-humans from different realms that came into contact with this being reported of its grotesque ideals and powers. 

When such reports were publicized, there came about humans and non-humans that revered this being. Day by day, there were more that believed this being that had tangible influence on the world through birthing Heroes and Villains was the true God to whom one could entrust their future. These believers called this being the Otherlord, as in a master that had come from a different world. Those that distrusted the being, or disapproved of those that revered such a thing, called it the Root of Monsters which had birthed all evil. 

The most notable was those that reacted with neither worship nor animosity. Some of the superpowered humans and beings from other realms – particularly those despised by their peers – considered the being the cause of those like themselves, and named it the Great Mother. Whether the name was meant to show respect or horror and blame was to be judged by the tone of the person using it.

***

The Otherlord, Root of Monsters, or the Great Mother does not care about assessments by people. What the sentient beings of this world do not realize is that the most direct cause for its existence is humans. The patterns in which the world changed had strayed severely from its original course due to human interference, and the stillborn possibilities for futures that never came to be coalesced into a single being. The Otherlord is an amalgamation of possibilities that could once be but now can never be – and it endlessly searches for ways that would make the approaching future as close to possible to the now-impossible future. It watches humans and contemplates whether bring their extinction, or utilizing them, or changing them would be the way to bring the future it dreams of. 

Its creation of Villains and Heroes is merely an experiment for this goal. Whether every single person in the universe becomes either a Villain or a Hero, or whether all sentient life becomes extinct due to war between Villains and Heroes, or whether many countries topple to make way for new ones, or any other outcome the current situation may bring – it is a given that those walk this world will undergo change at a fundamental level. The Otherlord dreams of a new future through this violent, ongoing change.

***

Superpowered beings, human and otherwise, that wish to fight Villains are obligated to enlist in the Hero Association. However, those that refuse to adhere to this rule are common. Knowing of the contribution to war with Villains that these unlisted Heroes make, the Association tends to let such transgressions slide unless an unlisted Hero causes serious public trouble. Even for enlisted Heroes, the enlistment itself tends to serve as a mere census to diagnose the current situation of the war. Due to this, it is rare for the Association to made demands of a Hero that is member only in name.

Unlike these “freelancing” Heroes, those that receive continuous commands from the Association and receive financial pay in return are members of the Hero Association Headquarters. Those that need training for using their powers, or need re-education due to abusing their authority as Heroes, or have no source of income other than Hero work, or is talented enough to gain attention of the Association are urged to work at the Hero Association HQ. Those that work at the HQ are categorized by the type of their powers and their rank. The classification according to “type” is below.

Technical: Main expertise in technology and research. Researching new weapons, bio-engineering new species, and analyzing the technology of Villains are all responsibilities of those in the Technical branch. This branch includes not only the researchers working in science labs but combat specialists that rely on high-tech weapons.

Tactical: Main expertise in physical training. They mainly focus on martial arts, espionage and on-field tactics rather than technology or superpowers. Those that have newly started Hero work tend to receive training from Heroes in the Tactical branch, regardless of what the newcomer’s associated branch may be. Members of this branch have commonly received military or police training.

Supernatural: Main expertise in researching superpowers and black magic, and in establishing ties with the Otherlord. Its main goal is to reach higher efficacy in Hero work through a better understanding of the Otherlord and its influences. This branch is mainly comprised of combat specialists that rely heavily on their superpowers or beings from other realms. The members of this branch is typically considered alien by the general public.

The classification here only considers the most prominent power of each Hero. For example, a Hero from the Tactical branch would mainly rely on battle tactics and martial arts. This does not necessarily mean that they would have no superpowers or have no use for technology.

***

The individual Hero classified according to “Type” is again categorized according to rank. The following ranks are present in all three “types”.

Adviser: Heroes that are unavailable for action due to old age or injury. Their direct participation in Hero work is prohibited, but they are allowed to advise on the war against Villains to members of the Association. The Advisers can communicate with Heroes of almost every rank from Learner to Acolyte, but direct interview with the Captains is reserved for Top Advisers. Even though they are barred from direct action, Advisers tend to serve as psychological guides for Heroes, and are much esteemed public figures.

Learner: Members that are undergoing training due to being too inexperienced or too young. A newly recognized superpowered being is usually urged to, at the very least, undergo their time as a Learner at the Hero Association HQ. The training is divided into courses for controlling powers according to everyday life and courses for controlling powers according to combat situations. Most superpowered beings tend to receive only the first part of this training before leaving the HQ.

Runner: Those that have started true Hero work by taking positions such as a researcher or a combat specialist. They mainly fight ordinary criminals or Villains that don’t pose too much of a threat. Members of this rank are allowed to handle any ordinary criminal. When it comes to Villains, however, they are only permitted to battle those specified by the overseeing Watcher.

Watcher: They are free to pursue almost any Villain of their choosing. There is a few truly dangerous Villains specified by the Captains, however, whom they are forbidden to pursue unless in situations of emergency. They are in charge of allotting Villains that the Runners should target and also of command and protection over Learners and Runners. When there is a large team of Runners sent to a crime scene of a great scale, Watchers are also positioned as the leaders of said teams.

Acolyte: They bridge the communication between the Captains and the lower ranks, while also acting as substitutes for the Captains. They are also allowed to pursue the most dangerous Villains recognized by the Hero Association HQ, so long as they form a team of at least three. When the Captain has fallen in a condition unfit for command, such as being killed in action or being kidnapped, the Acolyte beneath them is allowed to make decisions in place of the Captain. If the said Captain is unable to return to action, the Acolyte takes place as the succeeding Captain. 

Captain: The top commanders of the Hero Association. There is only one Captain for each “type” of Hero, Technological, Tactical, and Supernatural. The Captain has the final say on the direction the Hero Association is to take, and they serve as the representing face of the entirety of Heroes working at the HQ.

***

Aside from these five ranks, the types Technological, Tactical and Supernatural have a class of Heroes named the Special Agents. These Special Agents are called upon to solve problems that the Hero Association cannot solve through ordinary Hero work. They are mainly responsible for illegal and violent activities such as assassinating Villains (as opposed to the emphasized method of arresting them), kidnapping and interrogating civilians that aid Villains, or executing problem Heroes that the Association would rather conceal from the public.

It is a class of Heroes that only specialize in morally reprehensible activities, which is why the Association allocates Heroes that have exceedingly poor reputation or unmitigated tendencies for violence as its members. Consequently, the Special Agents are mainly Villains that have imperfectly changed their ways, Heroes that have caused social trouble, or Heroes that have betrayed the Association.

The Special Agents have only two distinct ranks.

Special Runners: The Heroes that are in charge of the aforementioned illegal activities. Any Hero that has caused serious trouble can be transferred to the Special Runner class, whether they be Technological, Tactical, or Supernatural. The word is “transfer”, but it is more accurate to see it as the worst kind of demotion. The Special Runners are to follow orders of the Special Watchers without question, and are absolutely forbidden to take on missions that are not specified by the Watchers.

Special Watchers: The Special Agents that are deemed highly unlikely to ever endanger the Association again are positioned as Special Watchers. These Agents take direct orders from the Captains, and it is forbidden for any Hero other than a Captain of the Hero Association HQ to give orders to a Special Watcher. They are responsible for commanding, overseeing and protecting Special Runners, and also of punishing them when they cause trouble. As befitting those seen unlikely to ever betray the Association, their loyalty and obedience towards the Association borders that of a cult member.

As might be expected of a class comprised of unstable personnel and made to commit immoral acts, the members of the Runner rank of the Special Agents tend to become completely rogue and consequentially executed. Those that dislike the Association have sarcastically named the Special Agents “the Royal Death Roll”. The term “Pet Mafia” is also popular, due to the kind of activities they take part in and the manner in which they dispose of traitors. 

***

Lastly, the Association HQ has a group named the SilverNet, whose activities are distinct from branches like Technological, Tactical or Supernatural. The members of the SilverNet work to lessen the governmental restrictions upon the Association, oversee the Association’s reputation and budget, and control the companies that have formed alliances with the Association. In short, they serve the grease (and at times pull the brake upon) the wheels between the Association and civilian society.

The activities of SilverNet are distinctly utilitarian, some examples being advertisement via websites and celebrities, development of movies and souvenirs associated with specific Heroes, diplomacy when a Hero is involved in international matter, and lobbies to politicians that are negative against Heroes. The members of the Hero Association SilverNet are mainly humans with no superpowers, but superpowered beings that are unwilling to engage in combat are also allowed to join.

The Hero Association HQ SilverNet have three ranks.

Fielders: The members that are directly involved in SilverNet activities are mostly members of this rank. The roles a SilverNet Fielder can take are extremely varied, such as that of a blogger advertising the activities of the Association, the staff member involved in film making of a movie about Heroes, the designer for Hero merchandise, and political spies sent into governments. The workload of these members is self-determined, whether they choose to pair SilverNet activities with their official job, or focus on SilverNet activities only. They tend to be paid according to the amount of the work hours they have chosen.

Delegates: They take charge of work that require more niche knowledge or acquaintances. They are also in charge of overseeing the activities of the Fielders, and most Fielders are involved in a team with a Delegate as leader, even if in name only. Even Fielders that have never actually received orders from a Delegate tend to have an associated team and their overseeing Delegate in their HQ file as a formality. Due to the Delegates being experts of “deeper” societal work, they are commonly associated with criminal organizations or the black market. However, such associations are only mentioned in rumors, seeing as they are experts at covering their tracks.

Administrator: The entire SilverNet has only one person at a time that can claim the title as Administrator. The Administrator decides the general direction the branch SilverNet activities should take through meetings with the Captains, in addition to commanding the workforce of the entire branch. Unless the situation is particularly extraordinary, it is usually a Delegate and not a Fielder that reports to the Administrator on the activities of SilverNet. The Administrator has minimal say on the direction the Association should take on the war against Villains. However, on all other activities the Association takes at a societal scale, the Administrator has equal authority as that of a Captain.

***

The Hero Association ranks Villains according to the level of threat they present. The stronger, smarter, and more influential a Villain is, the classification of their threat rises as well. This threat scale serves as determinant for the rank and number of Heroes that should be sent to combat a specific Villain. Even in a situation involving low-class Villains, when it involves many of them at once, their class is considered equal to that of a higher class Villain.

Scorpion: A Villain that is considered as such only due to their possession of superpowers, and posing similar threat as that of an ordinary criminal. The Villains the Runner rank deals with are mostly Scorpion class. While it is technically forbidden for a Learner to combat a Scorpion class Villain, it does not become much of an issue when happening under an emergency.

Viper: A Villain with the recorded capability to actively use their powers which have resulted in multiple victims. It is strictly forbidden for a Learner to deal with Villains of this class. As for Runners, while Watchers designate Viper class as their targets from time to time, they are obligated to battle only as part of a team.

Boar: Villains that are continuously improving their abilities, along with being highly likely to be aided by other Villains. Battles involving them are likely to become long-term. While it is permitted for Watcher rank Heroes to pursue them, it is strongly recommended to bring at least one other Watcher to the fight.

Panther: Highly problematic Villains that have survived multiple battles and are likely to survive many more. These Villains have a reputation for continuously avoiding both capture and death, and occurrence of either would be an event shocking enough to cause reaction from every member in society. The Villains specified by the Captains as forbidden for Watchers to take on are mostly members of this class. For a Hero that is neither an Acolyte or a Captain to take on a Villain of this class would be tantamount to suicide.

Chimera: Throughout history, there has been no Villain that has ever received this classification. Only if an emergency situation that threatens the very existence of the Hero Association arose, and could only be mitigated by the joint effort of every Hero in the world and of every civilian approving of Heroes, would this classification apply. It is a term assuming the worst case scenario, and those working at the Hero Association HQ are obligated to memorize the “Chimera Class Manual” that they are to theoretically follow if this worst case scenario were to take place.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, you actually reached the end. I am extremely surprised, confused and grateful. I can't offer you anything, but I sincerely hope you get to have a warm muffin or any other nice snack today.


End file.
